Port Road & Porowini Ave, August 2021 by Northern Advocate

AUGUST 2021

Dredging underway for the Port Nikau marina. Photo / Sarah Marshall Photography

Port Nikau’s development Waterfront living near the heart of Whangarei is closer with Port Nikau’s development plans starting to take shape.

HAMISH WOOD Managing Director BDX Group

amish Wood is a born and bred Northlander who has held various construction management related roles over the past 14 years both in Whangarei and abroad. After completing a Bachelor of Engineering at the University of Canterbury, he worked and travelled through South America, Europe, Uk and Australia before settling back home in Whangarei some 7 years ago. Some of the more notable memories from his travels include, a 6-month stint teaching surfing in Portugal, having an appendix removed in a village in south America, diving for king crabs at the most northern tip of Europe, being held at gunpoint by Hong Kong authorities after being found travelling with a spear gun, sailing from Australia to Indonesia,

and of course – meeting his wife and mother of his 2 young girls, Kylie. Hamish believes the key to BDX Group’s rapid rise to success is through fostering good working relationships with clients and suppliers, heavy investment in training and apprenticeships, and simply staying true to our word when it comes to doing what we say we will do. “We have an outstanding team of hard working and talented individuals who take immense pride in going the extra mile for our diverse range of clients spread throughout Northland” Hamish has an open door policy and welcomes the opportunity for anyone in the area to call in, say hello and get to know him and BDX Group in further detail.

P: 09 430 2126 E: hamish@bdx.nz

A: 32 Logyard Rd, Whangarei W: www.bdx.nz

MASTER LOCKSMITHS & KEY CUTTING SPECIALISTS Providing Security and Protection to the people of Northland since 1985

Supply and Services • Commercial Locks Shops, Ofﬁces and Warehouses • Residential Locks - Houses, Flats • Restricted Proﬁle Key Systems • Automotive Keys and Locks • Safes - Sales and Servicing • Window Locks and Stays • Masterkeying, Key Cutting, Padlocks 5 Poto Street (Off Porowini Ave) www.whangareilocksmiths.co.nz Phone: (09) 438 2431 Freephone: 0800 008 807

pokesperson Clare Davies-Colley said the Port Nikau development was approved by the Whangarei District Council last year. The Port Nikau Development Area is a bespoke zone in the Whangarei District Plan, and will be a fully developed urban waterfront environment, designed for 1200 homes and supporting retail, commercial and public open spaces.

First out of the blocks is the newly renovated Tide Gauge building where a new restaurant is soon to be opened in the lower floor. Port Nikau’s sales offices are already occupied on the first floor. The new Tide Restaurant will operate as a café and casual fine dining restaurant and offers unique views of the Whangarei Harbour from its position over the water. The restaurant is expected to be open later this year. Originally established by the Northland Harbour Board, the original tide measuring equipment has been kept as a feature. “Precinct 1, which includes 440 lots in a mix of two, three and four-bedroom standalone houses, and terraced housing, will hopefully be underway next year,’’ she says.

The newly renovated Tide Gauge building which is to house a new restaurant. Photo / Sarah Marshall Photography

LOCALLY OWNED AND FAMILY RUN BUSINESS. WOF, LUBES, TYRES AND WHEEL ALIGNMENTS. WOF INSP $55 SENIOR GOLD CARD WOF INSP $50 TRAILER WOF INSP $35 46 Kaka Street, Morningside Phone: 09 438 7209

THE PROPELLER SHOP If you have a boat, chances are you will have taken your propeller in to The Propeller Shop for repair or advice at some stage. The big news is that Arthur, the old “Prop Guru” retired at the end of 2020 – but not before transferring his skills and knowledge to our staff. So while The Propeller Shop is now part of Whangarei Marine Services and located at 93 Port Road, the same propeller services are all still available locally. Development plans for Port Nikau subdivision.

“There will be a range of price points throughout the subdivision, with prices being at the upper end of the spectrum to reflect the harbourside setting.’’ Construction of the next area, Stage 1A, was expected to be started in late 2023. Clare says the public open spaces would be attractive and would link up with the Town Basin cycling and walking trails. “People will be able to bike or walk down for a coffee or meal from the Town Basin. Residents will also be able to bike to work. It’s within 5km of central Whangarei.’’ A new marina is also being constructed at Port Nikau, with plans for about 100 berths. The first part will include 24 berths. “Dredging has already been completed over the last two months and the contract has been let for the construction of the marina,’’ Clare said. Berths in the new marina will soon be on

sale, and expressions of interest are welcomed by the developers. The development company’s commercial subdivision in Logyard Road, off Port Road, has been a success with all the sections sold out. “We have just been finishing an extension which contains another five commercial sections,’’ Clare says. “There has been strong demand.’’ The Port Nikau development has been 15 years in the making, and Clare and her husband, Tony Davies-Colley, are delighted to see progress. “We are getting really close. A lot has happened since we started this project.’’ Port Nikau represents 100ha of freehold development and has a significant tract of waterfront, which will be an attractive prospect for future homeowners. “People love living near the harbour. There is always something to look at,’’ she said.

now located at 93 Port Road, Whangarei P. 09 438 3296 www.whangareimarineservices.co.nz

SALES • SERVICE • REPAIRS

Ian Zanders

SPECIALIZING IN CLASSIC CAR RESTORATION

Large trucks ks & heavy machinery Longest established owner/operated Car Painter in Whangarei celebrating 47 years in business!

277 Lo Lower Port Road, next to the Lunch Bar (09) 438 9934 Been at present location for 39 years

SHOVEL READY

Work has begun on a new, $10 million bridge across Hāhā / Limeburner’s Creek that will remove the traffic bottleneck in the area and provide a safe walking and cycling link along Port Road.

Looking north across Limeburners Creek Bridge which will carry two lanes northbound when the new bridge is built.

ocal company United Civil Construction was awarded the contract to build a new bridge parallel to the existing bridge. When completed in June 2022, the new bridge will provide two lanes for traffic heading out of Whangārei and a three-metre wide

walking and cycling path, while the old bridge will carry two lanes of traffic back into town, providing four lanes overall. Roading consultant Mark Seakins says traffic disruption during the project will be kept to a minimum as most of the project is being built outside of existing traffic lanes. Night work and weekend work will also take place to limit traffic delays. He says work has already been carried out over the past two months moving services, which will speed up construction. Mr Seakins says during construction, the boat ramp beside the existing bridge will be closed to keep people safe. An alternative boat ramp by the cool stores at the south eastern end of Port Road can be used instead for a gold coin donation. Once the work is completed the Hāhā / Limeburners Creek boat ramp will be reopened but will be limited to hand launched vessels such as dinghies, kayaks, waka-ama and paddleboards. “This project is being funded by Kānoa, the Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), as part of the government’s “shovel ready” COVID-19 response plan. A funding application has been made to Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency for the second stage of the project, a $6M upgrade of the nearby Port Road/Kioreroa Road intersection. This funding is still to be approved.

Excellent facilities. Laundry, showers, toilets. BBQ and Wi-Fi Internet. Storage units available. With a wide range of onsite marine services. Norsand Boatyard is the place to refit and repair your boat for the upcoming season. NEW ZEALAND'S BUSIEST AND MOST EXPERIENCED MULTIHULL HAULOUT SPECIALISTS Norsand has hard stand provision for over 100 boats. Their concrete slipway has a capacity for vessels of up to 120 tons in weight and 12m beam. Multihulls are a specialty at Norsand and they are hauled on a custom built hydraulic trailer capable of lifting a 40 ton multihull up to 1.5 metres high if required. Motor boats and Monohulls are also hauled on a custom hydraulic trailer. All services are available on site Boatbuilders, painters, engineers, welders, labourers, fibreglass, osmosis repairs and riggers. Water blasting and abrasive blasting services available. Norsand can manage your refit, overseeing contractors on your behalf.

On site parking with security lighting. On site Store for your basic boat maintenance needs. Planks, scaffolding and vacuum sanders can be hired on site. The beneﬁts of being a working yard are countless when you assess boat projects. A Service Manager will assist you to prepare your work list and make arrangements to have repairs and maintenance done by professionals on site or you can do the work yourself. The yard is situated at the end of a quiet no exit street away from trafﬁc noise and has a rural outlook across the river but is only 1.5km from the centre of town. Norsand's friendly and experienced staff will ensure you have an enjoyable stay.

GRINNING

GECKO

In 2011 Catherine and James McNamara purchased the old Regal Pet Foods building on Port Road and began the long process of turning it into a building fit to make cheese at the back and have a bakery out the front.

he building that now houses Grinning Gecko Cheese Company and The Baker’s Crust bakery has a long history dating back to the 1950s when it was first built by Port Fisheries to process freshly caught fish. It continued its fishy theme well into the 90’s and at one point live crayfish were kept on site for export. In the late 1990s early 2000s it was used as a white fat rendering factory and lastly, before the McNamara’s purchased it, a pet food factory. After the refit David Hall leased the front part of the building for his new bakery business, The Baker’s Crust, and will celebrate 10 years in business in August next year. The bakery is famous for its delicious baked goods and pies. Grinning Gecko Cheese Co started production in 2013, adding yet another chapter in the building’s long history. Grinning Gecko Cheese has won accolades from its very first batch of cheese made and has enjoyed national and international success in every competition it has entered, including

HUWG E HE EVEW AVEN MO D S 26 Port Road, WHANGAREI 09 438 9536 ask@thedeepend.co,nz

Water testing Pool and spa chemicals Leisure pools Sapphire and NZ made Trueform spas Servicing and Valet

international gold and four national category championships. The McNamara’s started the business with just the two of them (with some help from their children) and have now grown to a team of seven, including 3 trained cheesemakers and one apprentice, all trained on the job. The range too has grown over the last 8 years from initially two types of cheese that they sold at the Whangārei Grower’s Market to now over 20 cheeses. Some of the newer flavours are Haurangi, a wine-soaked cheese, Reka Rawa, a truffle brie and a decadent Black Garlic Dip, all recent award winners too. The values of good milk, good people and aroha for every cheese has always been central to Grinning Gecko’s success.

WHANGAREI’S BEST KEPT SECRET? Grinning Gecko Cheese Factory 81 Port Rd, Wh a ngarei where you can see cheese-making in action and choose from our delicious range of award-winning cheeses.

Ou factory is accessed through the Baker’s Crust Our sh shop. Mention this ad for 10% off your cheese purchase, valid until 6th of Sept 2021. 10% discount not applicable on already discounted items

ADVANCED AUTOMATICS NORTHLAND Problems show up as: 99% of problems start from the lack of servicing.

ADVANCED Automatics Northland’s only AA approved transmission workshop.

Solution: Keep your vehicle serviced. Advanced Automatics Northland are the best people to explain to you ‘how often’ is the best.

dvanced Automatics, your go to Automatic transmission experts, also covering power steering, diffs, all servicing, rebuilds and repairs for most makes and models and have been established and based in Whangarei for over 20 years. We offer customers our recommendations and options towards a repair or a transmission rebuild. We have a great team dynamic, each bringing with them different strengths. Our team, Jon, James, Ian and Taylor, have a depth of knowledge in transmission problems, speciality performance upgrades and general repairs. Steve our service advisor and Connie our lovely receptionist are there to answer customer questions, price services and repairs etc. They work together and sharing skills to get the best for each customer. Since moving to their new premises on the corner of Kaka Street and Pororwini Avenue, Advanced Automatics has been able to streamline workshop systems allowing a better flow of jobs and a shorter waiting time. Sheryl believes in upskilling, having sent some of the team to Auckland and Australia for training with American experts.

Automatic transmission: Automatic Transmissions (Gearbox) have a lubricating fluid and filter in them. Like engine oil they get dirty and worn out. Most transmission problems cannot be fixed by the vehicle owner. Too many pieces of specialised equipment and tools are needed.

• Replace the fluid and filter. This can be complicated as a lot of filters are located inside the transmission itself • (Most likely) change the fluid and/or the filter. Specialised equipment needed. • It is recommended that you have this done on a regular basis, about every 30,000km or so.

Problems show up as: Two common types of problems. Put simply, your vehicle won’t move/go into gear or it won’t move smoothly (changes poorly or not at all).

The worst case: A complete tear down, recondition and rebuild will be needed.

Solutions: • Check the fluid level. If low, top it up. This is only a temporary fix as it means you have a leak

Regular servicing: the 3 Rs of servicing Reliability | Resale value | Safety Yes, the third is an S but it is really important.

Benefits: • Your vehicle will be safer • Your vehicle will be more reliable • You will get a better price for your vehicle when you sell it • You will save money on fuel • Your vehicle will last longer before you need to replace it • You will be less likely to face large repair bills.

HANDS-ON INDUSTRY TRAINING ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING Learn about safe working practices, fault diagnosis and testing electrical systems and equipment.

MACHINERY, WELDING & FABRICATION Learn welding, engineering sketching and drawing, and how to carry out accurate calculations for projects.

AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING Learn about engines and transmissions, automotive electronics and air conditioning in our vehicle workshops.

CIVIL ENGINEERING Learn about land surveying, highway and trafﬁc engineering, water and wastewater systems.

COMMERCIAL TRANSPORT Learn to drive a heavy vehicle safely, develop risk management strategies and defensive driving.

WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY Learn workplace health and safety requirements and how to implement in a business.

amily owned and operated is something that we are proud of. Now joined by their children Will, Bridgette & Gretchen when we say we are family operated we actually mean it! This is a huge benefit to our customers, it means we are totally invested in our service, products and our customers success.

100%

FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED

Pam & Peter Crispin started Wairau Paint Centre in 1993 and expanded to serve the Northland region in 2015, a natural move for directors Pam and Peter, who come from Whangarei and today spend much of their time in the area. With two retail stores, WPC now services from Bombay Hills to Cape Reinga.

From cars to trucks, dinghies to super yachts and ships, tractors to diggers, bridges to oil rigs, kitchen to full shop fitouts, houses to commercial buildings and many other specialist applications, WPC have got you covered! • Wood Finish – Wood coatings for kitchen, furniture and shop fittings from polyurethane, acid catalyst, nitro cellulose and pre catalysed lacquer to clear or pigmented waterborne finishes • Decorative – All the paint supplies and accessories you need for your house, commercial building, barn floor or swimming pool • Automotive – Water based and solvent vehicle refinish solutions. We also provide formulated and eye matches in basecoat and 2k from touch ups, aerosols to litres and all the sundries you’ll need. • Industrial – We deliver a top quality industrial solution including 1K & 2K sealers, primers and topcoats for all your industrial

needs from transportation to heavy machinery • Protective – Protecting your infrastructure and assets is critical. Our systems can be specified to your exact requirements. • Marine – We’ve got all you need for boat painting & antifouling, boat building, fibre glassing, maintenance, grooming and anything else. WPC is also Northlands exclusive member of The Paintsmart Group, a collective buying group which delivers our customers exclusive global and local products that are price competitive and high quality.

WHY CHOOSE US?

• We are totally customer focused – If you’re happy, we’re happy. We go above and beyond to help you complete your project to the highest standards

• We’ve got an expert team – Our staff know their stuff and they are nice bunch to deal with! Serving the paint trade since 1993, our team has a wealth of industry experience - from colour matching to technical advice. • We think outside the box – Our team is always training and keeping up to date with the latest technology • Only the best for our customers – We stock brands you know and trust. We’ve built a reputation on stocking top quality brands and recommending the right products for your job. • We’ve got everything – We’re your one stop paint shop & have everything you need to get your job done. If we don’t stock it, we’ll source it. • We are 100% Kiwi owned & family run. Created in 1993 the Crispin family has been passionate about providing expert products and services to our customers, and we stand behind everything we sell. We can come to you! - We go where you are, our fully stocked vans service from the Bombay Hills to Cape Reinga. • Plus we provide that little bit extra… More than just products. We offer expert advice and colour matching, NACE certified coating inspections, coating specifications, project management and maintenance programmes.